Shepard's Earth
by Time-Phantom
Summary: Commander Shepard comes to visit a friend before she leaves to train under the Alliance's N7 program. But ends up going home for the first time in a long time and finds that the past might have a bit of a grudge.
1. Shepard's Earth

**Something Spontaneous.**

**Arcturus Station: Media Room**

Shepard stood uncomfortably at the podium in the Alliance media room at Arcturus station. The stage lights were blinding but they didn't hide the members of the press that bombarded the Commander with pictures and questions. Shepard would much rather be facing hordes of rachni, krogan and the Reapers firing at him from orbit at the same time than deal with these vultures.

It was a three weeks since he saved Arcturus and the council acknowledged the existence of the Reapers. Shepard and Ashley both received Stars of Terra for their actions in saving the station. Ashley would be leaving for N7 training next week. So he came to Arcturus to surprise her before she leaves, but took a wrong turn and was stuck answering the questions of ravenous reporters.

"_Shepard how does it feel to have saved Arcturus and probably the entire Earth from invasion!"_ A reporter shouted from somewhere in the crowd.

"Damn proud!" He answered quickly, not really sure how to put it any other way. "But it was the Alliance 5th fleet that we should be thanking." He added trying to sound diplomatic, without bringing up the fact that half the 5th fleet was on guard against him and if not for the timely intervention of Aria and her pirates, the batarians and their Reaper emissary would have gotten through the Charon relay.

"_Is it true the council put you on trial for treason and that you escaped with the aid of a rouge Alliance soldier?"_ Another reporter asked up front, the sound of her squeaky voice getting on Shepard's nerves.

"No." Shepard answered. That was a lie. The council really did put Shepard on trial and if not for Ashley, Garrus, Tali and Joker he probably wouldn't have found himself in this situation and instead would be in a prison cell, while Earth burned.

"_Is there any truth to the connection between you and the pro-human group Cerberus and if so is that the reason for your faked death in 2183?"_

"Sorry but Spectre activities are classified." Shepard loved dropping the Spectre card. It was his favorite _'Not gonna answer the question_' card.

Shepard looked around the stage for an exit, when he saw Admiral Hacket power walking as fast as he could to the stage. Shepard took a deep breath and gestured stage right, were the Admiral would quickly take the scene. "And here is Admiral Hacket. Thank you all for your time." Shepard waved to the crowd and put on his best fake smile for the crowd.

Shepard exited stage left and was grateful to be out of that madness. On his way out the crowd roared, all scrambling to ask another question before their hero could disappear. Shepard dropped his head and let out an exasperated sigh. "Hey Skipper!" A voice he recognized, but was all too glad to hear called from across the room.

Shepard looked up and saw Operations chief Ashley Williams leaning against the wall, with a warm grin on her face. "You looked like you saw a Reaper out there."

Shepard walked to her, returning the smile. "I can go head to head with charging Krogan, mercs and slavers, but put me in with the media and I lose the ability to speak." Shepard laughed.

The two soldiers stood face to face, staring deep into each others eyes. "It's good to see you Ash." Shepard said, embracing Williams, holding her as if he hadn't seen her in two years.

"Same Skipper." After a couple moments they let each other go, Ashley turning a bright red. "Aw Shepard you're making me blush." She chuckled.

"What brings you to Arcturus?" Ashley asked.

"I came to wish you luck for in your N7 training." Shepard answered.

Ashley raised a suspicious eye brow. "I don't leave for a few days." Ashley's face formed a wide sinister grin. "Am I sensing an alternative motive for this visit?"

"I was going to ask you if you wanted to come to the Normandy with me and talk for a bit." Shepard said, sounding a little unsure of what he meant.

"Talk?" Ashley said, sounding confused by Shepard's meaning for this talk. "Aren't we talking now?" Ashley teased.

Ashley passed back and forth looking as if she was thinking about some life changing event. "I would be correct to assume the Ship is empty except for a certain pilot we know that seems to be glued to the cock pit?"

Shepard smiled and nodded. "Uh huh and this 'talk' would most likely take place in your cabin."

"If that be true then that would break Alliance regs on fraternization." Ashley continued to tease, poking Shepard in the chest. Ashley leaned in. "Give me a few minuets." She whispered seductively into his ear.

* * *

**Normandy SR2: Captains Cabin**

Shepard woke up in his bed that next morning with the worst headache he'd ever had, he sat up and looked across the room at the empty bottles littering his coffee table. "Please wake up a little quieter." A muffled voice groaned from beneath the sheets.

Shepard pulled the sheets down, revealing Ashley with her usually tied up black hair over her face as she tried burring her face into a pillow. "Do your lights ever go off!" Ashley growled.

"Not usually." Shepard answered back, cuddling next to Ashley. Ashley turned around her eyes meeting Shepard's. Ashley could tell that Shepard had something on his mind. He had a far away look in his eyes, that seemed to look past Ashley and through the Normandy.

"Earth to Shepard, I repeat Earth to Shepard!" Ashley grunted, playfully giving Shepard a shove.

"Oh... sorry Ash." Shepard apologized, realizing he was day dreaming.

"Where did you go?" Ashley asked.

Shepard sighed heavily and turned on his back. "Earth. Earth was so close from being invaded and we barely managed to stop it."

"Yeah it was close." Ashley agreed, moving some hair out of her face and resting her head on Shepard's chest. "But we did it."

"I haven't been home in years and a couple weeks ago I almost lost it." Shepard said aloud, but more to himself.

"I don't think I've ever heard you talk about Earth." Ashley said, finding it curious that this rather large detail about the man she loves past not being filled.

"I... it never came up."

"Any plans on getting back there?" Ashley asked, pushing for information as to what Shepard could be thinking.

Shepard shrugged. "Just haven't found the time." He explained.

That's when an idea came to Ashley's mind. "How about we go right now?" Ashley asked.

Shepard gave a curious look to Williams. "Are you serious?"

"As a heart attack." Ashley responded seriously. "I don't leave for a few days, you've got a little free time until the council figures things out and if you don't go now you'll regret it." Ashley explained, sitting up in the bed.

"Think of it as an adventure or you own personal mission." Ashley tried to reason.

"You'll be an N7 soon. You'll have so much adventure you'll choke." Shepard joked, trying to get off the subject. Ashley's eyes were like daggers, they were unyielding in resolve. This argument was lost before it began.

"E.D.I set a course for Earth." Shepard ordered across the room. E.D.I's blue avatar popped up on the far side of the room_. _

"_Very well Commander." _The A.I. Answered.

**AN/ Hello people. I'm waiting patiently for my beta to get back to me for the latest chapters of Mass Effect: 2187. (which is why it hasn't been updated.) So until then I'll just entertain myself and all of you (hopefully) with Shepard's Earth.**

**This is a prequel to Mass Effect: 2187 and takes place during mid 2186. This story will explain who my Shepard is, why he does things the way he does and all that filling in the blanks of my Shepard's origin story stuff. (Expect Ashley to kick serious amounts of ass in this tale)**

**If done right this wont be another Shepard origin fic that's all melodramatic and makes Shepard out to be some tragic hero. This will be a very different tale indeed. Oh if Ashley seemed out of character sorry, that was not my intention and if so let me know so it can be fixed.**

**Anyway please Review.**


	2. Not quite Home

**Not Quite Home.**

_The city of Bludhaven was the city Shepard grew up in. When he was growing up in the lower districts, living on what ever he could steal and where ever the Tenth street reds hung out was his home. Some thing changed though in the last few years before he signed on with the Alliance that made him leave Earth. _

Shepard finally made it to the hotel after being chased all over the space port by raving fans, greeting Shepard upon the Normandy's arrival. The pair eventually got stopped at the gift shop and every one wanted an autograph or from what it seemed like to Ashley every one wanted to keep one of Shepard's limbs as a souvenir. Someone even asked for Ashley's signature on an obviously home made tee- shirt of Williams in a seductive pose next to Shepard, with a ghostly image of a female quarian in the fetal position beneath them, with the title above reading in bold letters: **I know you feel this ****Mancers !** Ashley politely declined.

The couple made it out of that circus, each limb still attached. They are at the hotel they got reservations to at the last minute. (When you're the first human Spectre rooms open fast) They tossed their bags on the floor and collapsed on the bed. Shepard listened to Ashley as she began to recite a poem he'd never heard before.

"_Let the sweet fresh breezes heal me  
As they rove around the girth  
Of our lovely mother planet  
Of the cool, green hills of Earth._

We've tried each spinning space mote  
And reckoned its true worth:  
Take us back again to the homes of men  
On the cool, green hills of Earth."

"Whats that one from?" Shepard asked, raising an eyebrow to this mysterious piece he'd never heard before.

"The Cool Green Hills of Earth, by Robert Heinlein." Ashley stated simply, lost in the moment of telling the poem.

Shepard nodded. "I like it."

Ashley sat up on the edge of the bed. "So you grew up here?"

"Yep." Shepard sighed.

"Seems nice enough." Ashley thought aloud, saying it more to her self than to Shepard.

"I lived in the poor district. The only time I came out this far in the city was to tear some one a new one or to scare the bejesus out of some store owner for `protection money` with a display of biotic force. " Shepard explained, sounding disgusted with himself.

"The Alliance is the best thing that happened to me."

"I still find it hard to believe you were apart of a gang." Ashley said, the words Shepard and gang member sounding to unbelievable to her. "I've seen you take out mercs, pirates, slavers and other criminals with or even the slightest hesitation." Ashley said as if listing Shepard's kills off the top of her head.

"What changed?"

"There was nothing here for me. Earth is too full of people doing what they were doing yesterday and I wanted no part of it." Shepard answered, walking toward the window.

"The future of humanity is out there." Shepard said, stoically looking at the night sky, the city around him being a blurry mess of lights . "And too many of us are just content with staying here while the galaxy keeps moving forward."

"_The arching sky is calling Spacemen back to their trade**." **_Ashley said quietly approaching Shepard. _"All hands! Stand by! Free falling!" _She continued, rapping her arms gently around Shepard. "_And the lights below us fade." _She whispered into his ear.

**Tenth Street Reds hang out:**

Inside a building, on a long abandoned dock on the edge of town stood a Tenth street Reds hideaway. It was falling apart and wasn't a safe place to be. There Thalia Essex stood gathering report after report of her gangs activities and current income. She had jet black shoulder length hair, olive colored skin and was never seen without her smuggled in predator medium type armor. But the tattoo of a dying rose on her face was her most distinguishing feature.

Taking a quick glance towards the buildings entrance when she saw one of her many informants running full speed in her direction. She drew her phalanx heavy pistol and fired several times past his head. "Slow the hell down!" She barked. She recognized him, she had him at the space port to scope out any rich would be targets all the way to their hotels and would pay off the guy at the register for the room number. She could never get his name right, nor did she care. "Got some news Keller?" Thalia questioned, her pistol still drawn on the kid who fell from the shock of being shot at.

"He's here... he here boss!" He stammered.

"Who exactly?" She questioned, losing her patience quickly. "Use your words I know you can do it." She patronizingly ordered.

"Skcih... he's... here!" That name threw Thalia off the deep end. She fired a slug right into Kellers hand and then stepped on it. Twisting her foot to add to the pain shooting through Keller's hand.

"I don't much like his name being said around me." She said calmly, smiling at the man struggle not to cry out. "It makes me irrational!" She grunted.

"I saw'em... ma... ma'am!" He cried. "He was at the space port! With the Normandy!"

Thalia released her foot and applied medi gel to Keller's wound. "I apologize for that."

"So Shepard is here right?" She asked, seeming a lot more polite. Keller nodded. She smiled as she helped the kid up. She circled the boy, contemplating what was just told to her.

"Leave take some Reds with you." She ordered. "Shepard will likely go to that old bar he used to like." She continued.

"Or at least he did when he still bled red." She muttered angrily.

"What do you want us ta do?" Keller asked, seeming more afraid of the order than of Thalia. "Skcih Shepard's a Spectre and he's Alliance."

"I don't care if he's Councilor Anderson!" She barked.

She walked up and was now so close to Keller she could feel him breath. "Take some Reds and give our old friend Shepard a good welcome back home."

**AN/ I had some writers block with this one, but I'm back! (and still waiting patiently for those chapters of Mass Effect: 2187) Wasn't really sure if I could use Cool Green Hills (can't remember is its in the public domain) But tell me if you liked how I used it. Why could this Thalia Essex have an issue with Shepard? Better yet why does my Shepard have such a weird first name? These answers next chapter.**

**Please Review.**


	3. Night Out

**Night Out**

That afternoon Shepard brought Ashley to club Hell Fire. A shifty little bar in the factory district of Bludhaven were Shepard grew up. Shepard made a mention of how it was his favorite place to hang out and Ashley being ever persistent "asked" Shepard to take her there.

Hell Fire was a two story brick building, that seemed out of place and out of time being surrounded by the skyscrapers of the twenty second century. The bar was hazy with smoke from the patrons, as opposed to the other bars in the galaxy that blasted techno, Hell Fire played jazz and on occasion had an actual band play. But despite its seeming mellowness... it was every bit as dangerous the After Life club on Omega.

Shepard wore the suit he got from Kasumi, Ashley was wearing full Alliance regalia, a hand inside her jacket, were she held firmly on a pistol she had holstered, the other on her now empty beer.

"Why so nervous Ash?" Shepard asked. Walking back to the booth that faced the exit they picked out.

"Staying alert is all." She answered. "Not all of us get trained to hid behind a biotic barrier."

Shepard quietly chuckled at the jab at his biotics training. "I think you have me confused with some one who got adept or sentinel training." He stated, handing Ashley another beer and siting down across from her.

Ashley scoffed. "Your right vanguards think their invincible biotic gods and charge shot guns blazing into a pack of hostiles."

"And regular soldiers are gun nuts with inflated egos." Shepard jokingly added. Ashley playfully jabbed Shepard in the arm.

"So what do you think?"

"It's definitely different than Flux or that hole in the wall Chora's den." Ashley answered, looking around seeming to eye every exit in the bar.

"Boring isn't it?" Shepard asked, smiling at the look Ashley was giving him that confirmed Shepard's question. "Thought so to the first time I came here. Only ever came to shake it down, but after a couple visits the music grew on me."

Ashley raised an eyebrow. "You hung out here?"

"Yeah and when your the kid with the `scary physic powers" drinks are free."

"So how did your biotics develop ?" Ashley asked.

"Well as you know a biotic might not get biotics from an exposure in utero. I got a second exposure when I was fifteen when a truck carrying smuggled in element zero crashed." Shepard explained, sounding like he'd told this story a thousand times. "I was fine, but that next morning every thing in my room was floating in the air and I was glowing dark blue."

"I'd imagine that caused a bit of a shock."

Shepard nodded. "Sure did."

Ashley looked passed Shepard and saw coming through the entrance was a group of five thuggish looking people. One of which had a pistol in hand and was raising it in their direction. "Get Down!" Ashley yelled, pulling Shepard down to the floor with her. They used the bench and table as cover, while bullets whizzed passed their heads.

"Why can't we ever go anywhere and not get shot at!" Ashley yelled, returning fire with her pistol.

Shepard laughed. "Well this is a lot more exciting than jazz and watered down drinks !"

Shepard then produced his carnifex hand cannon. "I'll be back in flash!" Shepard said, shouting over gun fire and a crowd of screaming bar goers. A biotic field was swirling around Shepard. He was getting ready for a charge, but before Ashley could protest he was on the other side of the room. Using that as a distraction, Ashley got out of cover and joined Shepard in taking out the group.

Shepard slammed one of them into the wall with his biotic charge. He whipped around putting three rounds into the back of one the shooters. Shepard looked for the other three but noticed they were already down.

"Those fancy biotics are all flare Shepard." Ashley teased, popping the heat sink of her pistol. "It takes real skill to take a hostile down and not give away your position by glowing in the dark. Thanks for the distraction though."

Shepard shook his head, turning around to the man he slammed into the wall. He was crawling on the floor, trying to escape. Shepard gave him a sharp kick to the ribs before rolling him over. "Got some place to be friend?" He asked, his pistol over his head and his foot pressing down on the mans chest.

"Don't kill me please!" He squealed, pleading with an unyielding Shepard whose face was like stone.

"You shot at an Alliance officer !" Ashley grunted. "I'd say your well beyond the asking for mercy part." _Especially from Shepard. _She thought to herself.

"Who sent you?" Shepard demanded. The gunman didn't speak, but the terror in his eyes provided an opportunity. "Scared boy? Well I can tell you I'm much worse than whoever your scared of." Shepard said, the ere of menace filling each word.

"Your Alliance you can't kill an unarmed civilian!" He shouted defiantly.

Shepard then violently dragged the man to his feet and pushed him into the wall. "Is that the best..." Before the gun man could finish Shepard raised his pistol and fired a shot into the gunman's shoulder.

"ARGH!"

"You were saying." Shepard growled.

"You shot me!" He howled. "Jesus Christ you shot me!"

"I'm a council Spectre and you tried to kill me."

"You're... you're Skcih are... aren't you ?" The once defiant gunman stammered.

Shepard had a sinister smirk on his face. When Shepard was growing up he didn't know his first name, so he got the nickname Skcih from some reds he hung out with. "Oh your a Red. I should just shoot you on principle now."

"Thalia gave the order." He rasped, holding his wounded shoulder.

The name clicked immediately in Shepard's mind. Thalia was a red like he was but has apparently gone up in the world since. "Why does she want me dead?"

"I don't know. We only got told to come here and the guy that brought us is dead!" He cried, motioning his head in the direction of one of the bodies laying on the floor. "Plea... plea... please don't kill me!" He begged.

"Sorry friend your a criminal and I kill criminals!" Shepard growled, raising his gun at the man's head. Shepard turned his head for a split second and saw Ashley with her head turned away. "Close your eyes."

The gunman did what he was told, his eyes closed and breathing heavy. "Don't do this please!"

"Shut up!" Shepard yelled. "You would have killed me with out a second thought and you want to ask for mercy?"

"How many people begged just like your begging me?" Shepard shouted. The man didn't answer, his faint sobs echoing in the empty bar. Shepard held his pistol at his would be killers head, his grip tightening, finger on the trigger.

"Mark today as your new birthday." Shepard said, his voice sounding more like a growl. He holstered his pistol, pushing the man towards the door. "Do some thing constructive with the break I'm allowing or prison won't be the worst of your problems."

The man ran out of the door the first chance he got. Shepard let out a loud angry sigh. "So your letting him go?" Ashley asked.

"Yeah." Shepard exhaled.

"Your going to go after this Thalia person aren't you ?" Ashley asked, but she already knew the answer. Of course Shepard was going to go after her.

"I'll need to make a stop at the Ship first." Shepard said, police sirens could be heard in the back ground. "Just like the old days cops took their time getting to a shoot out."

"You can stay on the ship if you want." Shepard said.

Ashley smiled and shook her head. "Not a chance."


	4. Far Off, Unhappy Things

**Far Off Unhappy Things...**

Ashley was crouched by the edge of a warehouse looking through her mantis' scope at an abandoned building. She and Shepard were on the roof top of the building across the street. "Whats it like down there?" Shepard asked.

"Maybe ten people out in front."

"Ready to fire at your order."

"Stand down Ash." Shepard ordered. "They might not be mercs, but what they'll do is run inside and stay there. Then we'll never get in that building."

"Hell some of them might even be smart enough to shoot back at you and then you'll be pinned down, while another group of them run across the street and make their way up here." Shepard explained.

"Well what do you have in mind?" Ashley asked, her voice not hiding the annoyance of being second guessed.

"Shock and awe Williams." Shepard said, arming himself with his M-100 grenade launcher. "Shock and awe." Shepard fired a spray of grenades at the building. Each explosion ripping threw the building and sending tenth street reds scattering in every direction. Shepard put away his grenade launcher and grabbed his shot gun.

"We should go."

Ashley and Shepard entered the remains of the building through a hole in the wall. Any reds either ran away or were on the floor howling in pain and begging for help. "You sure this person your looking for is still alive?" Ashley asked, traversing her assault rifle from left to right, scanning for any hostiles.

"What the hell are you all doing kill them!" A booming female voice screamed from the back of the building.

"She's alive." Shepard grunted. Both of them took cover behind a fallen pillar. The room the erupted in gunfire. Ashley returned fire from cover, spraying bullets in the direction of were she was being shot from. They were pinned down, but Shepard and Ashley remained cool as ice. "So how is that soldier skill going for you?" Shepard shouted.

"Not the time skipper!" She yelled.

Shepard rose out of cover his arm out stretched, his biotics flared and he lifted his arm in a lifting motion, sending a biotic shock wave blasting though the group of enemies. Shepard raised his shot gun and vaulted over the pillar. Shepard fired at a crate that consequently exploded, instantly killing a few reds that hid behind it.

Shepard was in the back and in front of him was a battered and bloody Thalia Essex. "Long time no see Thalia." Shepard said, aiming his shot gun at the gang leader.

"You bastard." She grunted, her hands balled into fists, shaking from barley controlled rage. "You've destroyed my crew!" She screamed.

"Our crew." She whispered quietly, more to her self than to Shepard.

"They were never mine." Shepard retorted.

"Look at you, you turned into a soldier, killed a few blinks at Elysium and now your the councils whipping boy!" She yelled. "But your the same I can tell."

"How so?" Shepard asked, wondering what she had to say.

"You murdered Finch in a crowd of people, I knew some people on Feros and they told me you killed five of those colonists, while you had the option of saving them."

"Feros still survived and Finch was an example of how I would not be extorted by criminals." Shepard angrily said.

"Listen to how you sound right now. Non of that changes the fact your a banger with a license to kill!"

"I also hear you let that colony get bombed over in..."

Shepard couldn't listen any more. He pulled the trigger, sending Thalia falling on her back. He stood over her, hit weapon held above her head.

"Like I thought." She rasped, coughing up blood and trying to cover her wound. "Go ahead finish me off."

Shepard put his shot gun away. He applied medi gel to the wound and helped her to her feet. "That should help until you get to a... " Shepard was interrupted by sharp pain in his ribs. He looked down and saw Thalia' hand on the handle of a knife that disappeared into Shepard's armor and managed to get though the under weave.

"You've gotten soft Skcih." Two shots rang through the building, each hitting the gang leader in the chest. Shepard walked away from the corpse, pulling the knife out.

"Nice save Ash."

"I try." Ashley said, putting her sniper rifle in its place on her back. "You alright?"

Shepard nodded and walked passed Ashley with out saying any thing.

* * *

**Back on the Normandy, Shepard's quarters:**

"Sorry about bringing you into that mess." Shepard said, while taking off the arm pieces of his armor. "Trouble has a habit of coming for me."

"No sweat, its not like I had to break you out of the Citadel... again." They both shared a laugh at the remark.

"Hey Shepard." He could see Ashley's face as his chest piece slide from over his head. She looked concerned, almost worried.

"The stab wound healed up or it should have by now." Shepard quickly said, trying to ease Ashley's thoughts.

"It's not that." Ashley murmured. "What that woman said to you. It bothered you didn't it?"

Shepard looked away, leaning against wall. Ashley was right it did bother him and try as he might to hid it from Ash, she picked up on it immediately. "Some times I wonder if I'm really doing good out here or if I'm just kidding myself."

"Shepard you've saved the galaxy one hundred times over and the tech from the collector base... "

"Is tech based on the sacrifices of others." Shepard interrupted.

Ashley was confused by the comment. "What do you mean ?"

"When I got to the collector base the first time, half my crew died and I lost some of my team." Shepard sighed heavily. He never talked about the suicide mission with Ashley and right now seemed appropriate. "It turned colonists into something not human and I had a choice on whether or not to destroy it."

"You kept it and gave it to Cerberus."

"Well now you know the whole story." Shepard exhaled, collapsing on his bed. "Some hero I am huh?"

Ashley didn't say any thing. "Well... I can't say I like the idea of giving that base over to Cerberus."

"But I think you did the right thing."

Shepard raised an eye to that one. "Really?"

Ashley sat next to Shepard. "I mean... with out it a lot more people would die than if we didn't have it. In the big grand scheme of things, when the Reapers really do come back, the tech you saved from the base will save a lot of lives."

Shepard sat back up on the edge of his bed. "Thanks Ash."

Ashley looked back at Shepard giving him a reassuring look. "No problem Skipper."

"You don't need to be sorry about what you did. Just make sure it was worth it."

**AN/ One chapter left in this short tale of an Earth born biotic Shepard and his main lady. Shepard and Ashley's talk about the collector base is how I imagine it going if he kept it. (and stayed loyal throughout ME2) Is it a little thin... possibly, but all of you tell me what you think.**

**Thank you for reading and please leave a review if you wish.**


	5. Cool Green Hills of Earth

**Green Hills of Earth**

The next two days of Shepard and Ashley's trip to Earth wasn't nearly as exciting. They mostly spent it site seeing and since Shepard was the first human spectre flights were free. Ashley had only visited Earth during fly by's before and after her training on Titan, so the many tourist attractions on Earth were a site to behold to the marine. They had to cut the vacation short due to Ashley having to go to N7 orientation on Arcturus.

The Normandy docked with Arcturus station. Ashley was packing the rest of her things that were in Shepard's quarters. "Just as fast as I get you to my self is as fast as you go again." Shepard said, wrapping his arms around Ashley's waist.

Ashley giggled. "Sorry Skipper, duty calls."

Ashley picked up her bags and made her way to the elevator. Shepard was walking at her side, staring at her all to obviously. "Ah... looking for another round Skipper ?"

Shepard grabbed her waist, causing Williams to drop her bags and lean against Shepard. "Well you know me. I always like to savor the last shot before popping the heat sink." He said with a wide grin on his face.

Ashley laughed. "God that is awful !"

Shepard returned the laugh. "Yeah it was. "

"Keep trying though." Ashley's face got closer to Shepard's until both of their lips gently locked together.

"_Sorry to interrupt." _The intercom cracked. The voice of a certain pilot echoing in Shepard's room.

Shepard and Ashley separated quickly. "What is it Joker !" Shepard grunted, obviously annoyed by Jokers habit of interrupting at inopportune moments.

"_Admiral Hackett would like to have a word with the both of you." _Joker's voice sounding more and more nervous with each word.

"Patch him through." Shepard ordered. No sooner had Shepard said that had the rough voice of the Alliance Admiral came through the comm.

"_Shepard I've got reports from Gagarin station regarding some incidence on Earth." _

"What kind sir?" Shepard spoke.

"_There was a shoot out at a bar in which a few people were killed, a building was demolished and in both cases military hardware was used." _the Admiral listed. _"And records show that the Normandy was docked at a spaceport in the city you grew up in." _

"Are you saying me and Ash... I mean Operations Chief Williams had some thing to do with those?" Shepard asked, catching him self and trying not to sound too informal.

"_Not at all. Chief Williams is still on shore leave and it's not my place to question a council spectre or his actions." _The Admiral assured. _"I just thought you might know something about it. Witnesses thought they saw an Alliance soldier and a man fitting your description at the bar at the time of the shooting."_

"They must be mistaken." Shepard said. "Probably stress from the shooting."

"_You might be right. And Chief Williams your shuttle isn't set to leave for orientation for another twenty hours."_

"_Hackett out."_

"Twenty hours huh?" Ashley looked over to Shepard; a plethora of thoughts of how to spend the time flashed in her mind. "Oh what could we do with that much time on our hands?" She said aloud, sitting on top of Shepard's desk.

"A few ideas come to mind." Shepard said, leaning over her. "If your interested?"

Ashley rolled her eyes. "Get over here!" She grabbed Shepard by the shirt for a hard kiss.

"_Commander." _E.D.I interrupted, her avatar popping up in the corner of the room by the elevator._ "The council is requesting for immediate presence on the Citadel."_

"They can wait E.D.I !" Shepard grunted.

"_Well they kinda sent this message a day ago."_ Joker nervously added.

Shepard backed away from Ashley and turned to E.D.I. "Why wasn't I told until just now?" Shepard snapped.

"_Mr. Moreau had me on mute." _

"_I guess my thumb slipped Commander. "_

"Looks like we both have somewhere to be." Ashley sighed, picking her bags back up.

"Sorry." Shepard exhaled.

"No worries." Ashley walked into the elevator. She turned around and gave Shepard a warm smile. "Take care of your self out there Skipper." She said, giving Shepard a quick kiss before the elevator door closed.

**Arcturus docking bay:**

Ashley watched as the Normandy took off into space. Shepard was gone once again, off to another harrowing adventure in the deeps of space. She had nothing to worry for Shepard would be back and Shepard always came back. But with the Reapers return and the councils state of panic, Ashley couldn't help but worry that She wouldn't see him again.

But Ashley shook that feeling off. She didn't need to worry about Shepard, he would always find his way to her no matter what kind of mess the council or the Reapers tossed his way. The Normandy was barley visible in the distance. But Ashley kept watching as the Normandy and humanities first spectre flew amongst the stars.

**_Out ride the sons of Terra,_**  
**_Far drives the thundering jet,_**  
**_Up leaps a race of Earthmen,_**  
**_Out, far, and onward yet -_**

**_We pray for one last landing_**  
**_On the globe that gave us birth;_**  
**_Let us rest our eyes on the fleecy skies_**  
**_And the cool, green hills of Earth. _**

**_The End...for now._**


End file.
